English with Harry Potter

2022-07-27 17:00:00 burly (of a man or a man's body) - big, strong and heavy.

Oliver Wood ought to be burly. However, the actor (Sean Biggerstaff) is tall, skinny and handsome. I wonder if Wood is supposed to look handsome. I don't remember it being mentioned anywhere in the books. Open / Comment

2022-07-26 17:00:00 A cane is a thin stick, used in the past in some schools for beating children as a punishment. The word has other meanings as well (look at the collage ).

to get the cane (= be punished with a cane)

Harry thought he would get the cane as a punishment. Now I understand where that meme comes from . Open / Comment

2022-07-25 12:00:00 bewilder somebody (usually passive) - to confuse somebody:
'She was totally bewildered by his sudden change of mood.'
'His complete lack of interest in money bewilders his family.' Open / Comment

2022-07-24 11:00:01 McGonagall: Professor Quirrell, excuse me, excuse me. Could I borrow Wood for a moment, please?
Quirrell: Oh. Y-yes, of course.

Wood? thought Harry bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him? But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick’s class (in the book it wasn't Quirrell's class) looking confused. Open / Comment

2022-07-22 17:00:02 You wait here!

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still
Professor McGonagall didn’t say a word to him. She wrenched
open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper.
Perhaps he could be Hagrid’s assistant. His stomach twisted as he
imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards while
he stumped around the grounds, carrying Hagrid’s bag. Open / Comment

2022-07-21 10:00:01 McGonagall: Harry Potter? Follow me.

Harry caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle’s triumphant faces as he left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall’s wake as she strode towards the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it. He wanted to say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he’d done it. He hadn’t even lasted two weeks. He’d be packing his bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep? Open / Comment

2022-07-20 10:27:08 Boy: Good job, Harry!
Boy 2: Oh, that was wicked, Harry.

Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leant forward and pointed his broom handle down – next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball – wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching – he stretched out his hand – a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently on to the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist. Open / Comment

2022-07-18 10:46:04 javelin - a light spear (= a long stick with a pointed end) which is thrown in a sporting event: 'He hurled the javelin almost 100 metres.' Open / Comment

2022-07-18 10:46:03 Harry: Give it here, Malfoy, or I'll knock you off your broom!
Draco: Is that so? Have it your way, then!

Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leant forward and grasped the broom tightly in both hands and it shot towards Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy only just got out of the way in time;
Harry made a sharp about turn and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping. Open / Comment

2022-07-17 12:16:05 Have you seen this unicycle broom? I wonder if you can really buy one. The price is just 40$. By the way, I always wondered how do witches and wizards not hurt their tailbones and other sensitives parts riding brooms? They must secretly use saddles for comfort . Open / Comment